


Just One Week Longer

by Trash_Fire



Category: Sad Milk
Genre: Awkward Tension, Bad Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Im bad at this, M/M, Mutual Pining, im not entirely sure how the tags work but we're learning, jkjk ive never written fanfic before so it'll probably be horrible, probably will be a badly written kiss scene or two, two idiots in quarantine and they have to confess their love to each other it's great i promise, you can rip this goddamn trope from my cold dead hands i dare you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23787751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trash_Fire/pseuds/Trash_Fire
Summary: James (One Topic at a Time) goes to Sweden to visit his friend Mark (The Click). Things are good, until the Covid-19 pandemic worsens, and they have to self-quarantine together. Turning James' once week-long visit into an indefinite stay. He didn't bring enough clothes for this! And, more pressing of an issue, he has no clue what to do once he starts developing feelings for his friend.
Relationships: One Topic at a Time/The Click
Comments: 34
Kudos: 119





	1. Chapter 1.

**Author's Note:**

> ((DISCLAIMER Y'ALL))  
> This is my first fanfic!! EVER!! So it'll probably be shit ass garbage.  
> ALSO!!!! In this, Human1 is OT's best friend. Why? Because I love her!! and I don't like angst. And I don't want to make the story about "OT leaving Human1 for The Click" because Human1 is wonderful!! and she doesn't deserve that :(
> 
> (i'm fully aware that shipping IRL people is a touchy subject and lots of people don't like it but if you don't like it, please dont read it. Take care of yourself. I respect OT and The Click as real people with real relationships, this is not meant to demean that in any way.)

The 10 AM sun was rising steadily over Canada, and James was at the airport with his best friend. She was dropping him off so he could fly to Sweden to visit his friend Mark, another YouTuber that he made videos with. Human1, his ride to the airport, was busy fussing over him and making sure he looked nice for his 10 hour flight. 

“I just don’t want you to look like you walked through a hurricane this morning, okay?” She spoke loudly, tidying his sweater and adjusting his scarf. His hair was still wet from his extraordinarily short shower.

“I’ll be fine, promise! You can stop mothering me,” James chuckled, gently pushing her hands away, smoothing the hoodie on his own, “See? Perfectly capable.” He smiled at her sadly, knowing she’d miss him. “I’ll only be gone a week, I swear.”

Human1 grinned at him, her heart-shaped glasses sparkling in the light of the sun. “Promise you’ll update me?” She asked James, holding out her pinkie finger. James hooked his pinkie with hers and shook them gently.  
“Pinkie promise. Now, I have to go catch a flight!” He said, remembering suddenly why he was here. He hugged Human1 tightly, then grabbed his bags and turned to walk inside.

“Ok! Go get on that plane, and be careful! You don’t wanna catch the [DEMONETIZED] virus!” Shouted Human1 as James walked into the airport with his luggage. He waved back at her one last time, before pushing open the door and walking inside.

As soon as James walked inside, he knew he was in for it. Plenty of people were wearing masks and other protective equipment, and he was reminded to try and not touch his face here. He got himself situated, though; he went through security, and got his baggage and tickets taken care of. Now, he just had to wait for the plane.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The plane ride, to say the least, was not one of James’ favorite experiences. He felt uncomfortable and on-edge the whole time, not to mention the turbulence. But, he did have an aisle seat, so he didn’t need to worry about squeezing past strangers to get to the bathroom. That was one of the upsides to such an experience.  
James had endured the flight, retrieved his luggage and plugged his phone in to charge. Now all he had to worry about was… Mark. James pulled out his phone and opened Mark’s contact.

J: Hey dude i’m here ! come pick me up pls!

M: Ohh anything for you, Toepiccy~

J: Pfft alright. Pretty cursed but whatever

James grinned at his friend's cursedness, then closed his messages in favor of other, more entertaining apps. Though, eventually, 10 minutes of mindless tapping passed. Then 45 minutes. Then an hour. Where the hell was Mark? The airport was only about 40 minutes from his house, or so he had been told.  
James saw a message from Mark and opened it immediately.

M: Dude come on! I been out here waiting for you my guy. 

J: ????? You know what,, best not to question it.

James got up with his things, very disgruntled from waiting longer than he needed to. The sunlight was fading fast, the darkness of night quickly taking hold. When he eventually made it to the door and pushed it open, he realized that he didn’t remember what Mark’s car looked like. He quickly opened his phone to try and go back in his messages with the man to see where Mark had told him the model of his car. He was interrupted, however, by a blaring car horn behind him.  
James turned around to face the noise, and he saw none other than Mark, leaning out the window of his car a bit, waving his arm frantically. James rolled his eyes and walked to the car. Mark rolled down the passenger window, and James leaned in to talk to him. He noticed some takeout in the back seat and 2 coffees in the cupholders, probably why he took so long. He was still going to give him a hard time about it, though. 

“Took you long enough, you degenerate.” He said with a smile, obviously joking. Mark didn’t seem to take it very well, though. He started to drive off without James, but didn’t get very far when he started chasing the car and yelling at him.  
“Wai-wait no! Mark come back please! I LOVE YOU PLEASE COME BACK!” James shouted, laughing as Mark backed his car up.

“Y’know Topiccy that’s pretty gay, not gonna lie.” Mark said, grinning at James. 

“Yeah, I know.” James replied with his Cursed™ voice, looking Mark directly in the eyes. He was silent for a beat, his ears turning red, before replying, “...Ok, whatever, get in the car loser.”  
James put his luggage in the back, then opened the passenger door and got in the car.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Mark had made it home with James, it was dark outside. The only light was coming from the streetlights. Mark helped James with his luggage, and brought in the food for dinner and empty coffee cups to throw away. He helped James situate himself and put his bags in the closet. He even put some extra bedding on the couch, what a nice man.  
They had the takeout for dinner, and watched some Netflix. Once Mark yawned very loudly and stretched himself over James like a cat, though, they decided it was time to go to sleep. Well, James was getting tired of Mark’s bullshit and wasn’t awake enough to deal with it. James texted Human1 for what felt like the 20th time that day, finally to tell her that he was going to sleep.  
“Goodnight, sweet prince.” He heard Mark say in a singsong voice from the hallway on the way to his room. James smiled, taking his sunglasses off and setting them on the coffee table.  
“Also,” Mark continued in his singsong voice, “Stop wearing those shades indoors, there’s no point.”  
“Over my dead body, asswipe,” James retorted, chuckling, “Now shoo! Go to bed!”  
Mark shrugged, turning to go back into his own room. James figured he was too tired to fight back. He pulled the comforter over himself, turning a few times before he finally managed to fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's James' first day in Sweden with Mark, and although he's early to rise, the day just seems to drag on...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! If you're reading this and you like it, please consider leaving a comment!!! Even something short and incoherent is appreciated ;)   
> Also, I love you UwU <3 <3 <3

James wakes up at the ass-crack of dawn. 6 AM, perhaps, but he isn’t tired; he feels well rested. He lies in bed for a moment, just thinking about how he’s here, in Sweden, with Mark, of all people. He never thought any of this would get him to where he is now. Feelings of euphoria and immense excitement flood his thoughts, because he gets to hang out with his best friend, who he never thought he’d be able to meet. 

James looked around the new space, softly lit by the dim light filtering through the blinds. There was a cool coffee table in front of the couch, over a nice area rug. The T.V. was off, and there was a window to the left of it on the adjacent wall. The room had a very cozy scent to it.   
Suddenly, James’ phone dinged, and he looked over to where he had left it on the floor. He inhaled sharply, stretching a bit before he reached down to grab his phone. He turned down the brightness when his eyes started getting irritated by it. He didn’t feel like putting his glasses on just yet. He saw that he had a few messages from Human1, and unlocked his phone to see them. 

\-------------------------------  
H1: James! Good morning, how are you?

H1: Eating breakfast for dinner is fun lol 

H1: Hellooo?? You there?

J: Ughhh, yes, i’m up haha

J: I just woke up though, it’s like… 6 AM dude.

H1: Oh goodness, sorry about that! Did I wake you up?

J: No, I woke up on my own, you’re good

H1: Well, that’s good! So, how’s it going over there? Havin any fun ;) ?

J: Oh my god, stop that

J: And yeah, it’s pretty epic here, Mark made me a nice bed on the couch, and we had some dinner and a movie. Overall just pretty good

H1: Ooh, sounds nice! Did he give you a kiss goodnight? Or did YOU do that? It’s only the gentleman’s way, James ;))

J: Seriously? Everyone else, now you? I am doomed..

H1: Hey, it’s not gay to kiss the homies goodnight dude. Were yall wearing socks? 

J: I need to get ready for the day, Human1. And shouldn’t you be getting ready for bed?? You hooligan. 

H1: Pfff yeah I guess. You have a good day, James! <3

J: You too <3

\---------------------------------

James sighed and turned his phone off, taking the comforter off himself and standing up. He really did need to get ready for the day. He walked over to the entryway closet, which had his bags in it, and quickly sifted through his things to find his toiletries and a change of clothes. Then, he went down the hallway to get to the bathroom. Across from the bathroom was Mark’s room; the door was slightly ajar.   
James decided against peeking, instead pushing open the bathroom door and setting his things on the counter. He flicked on the light and rested his hands heavily on the counter, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. James looked at himself in the mirror for a few seconds, his eyes drifting off to some smudges and fingerprints on the glass. The corners of his eyes started to get itchy, so he brought his hand to his face to pick the sleep out of his eyes.

After James had brushed his teeth, flossed, and gotten dressed, he put all his things back in his toiletry bag and pushed it into a corner on the counter. He grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, stepping out into the hallway again. He looked at Mark’s door, still cracked a little. He wondered what Mark’s room looked like… He figured Mark would be asleep, so he let his curiosity get the better of him.   
James opened the door a little more, taking a tentative step in to make sure Mark was asleep. He saw a Mark-shaped lump under a big comforter, so James felt free to move into the room completely. He walked past the desk at one end of his room and found himself at the foot of Mark’s bed. Mark was laying face-down, hugging a pillow to his chest. James looked at his peacefully sleeping face for a moment, smiling softly at how squishable his face looked, pressed against the pillow. Then, he took a photo for blackmail later.

Just as James was about to call his curiosity satisfied, a big fluffy orange tabby got up and stretched, walking over to the foot of the bed to sniff him. He stuck his hand out, unfamiliar with this fluffy creature. The cat rubbed itself on James’ hand and allowed itself a few scritches before it turned back to Mark and walked up one of his legs to sit on his back. It sat there, purring and kneading for a few seconds before Mark slowly woke up, groaning and rolling over, forcing the cat off his back.  
James watched on, making as little sound as possible while Mark made a little ‘pspspspsps’ noise, holding the cat on his chest and petting it without opening his eyes much at all. Mark soon opened his eyes, and looked down the bed to see James standing there with his phone out, probably recording. 

“James, put the phone away before I...” Mark yawned, trying to force as much malice into his voice as he could, “...Injure you, badly.” He glared at James, then took in a deep breath and sat himself up in bed. “So,” Mark continued, “You met Simba? Very good boy, though he usually doesn’t like new people well. Consider yourself blessed, Topiccy Wopiccy.” He grinned at James.

James smiled and replied, “Uhh, yes, he’s very.. Fluffy? I like him, he’s a good cat.” he fidgeted a bit, putting his phone back in his pocket.

“No, he’s as bad as they come. He's no good for anything other than lazing around all day and eating. Isn’t that right, Simba?” Mark said endearingly, scratching the cat’s chin. James’ heart almost melted right there. He would protect this man at all costs. 

“Now, since you look all nice at uhh.. Not Supposed To Be Up Right Now o’clock, why don’t you go make some breakfast so I can get myself ready for the day? I’ve got some Lucky Charms, if you’re feeling adventurous. It’s in a cabinet somewhere, you’ll find it no problem…” Mark said, pulling the sheets off of himself and sliding out of bed. 

James was watching him, out of habit of course, so when Mark started taking his boxers off, James turned beet red and looked away.

“Dude, do you want to see my ass or no? I said I was getting ready, you absolute buffoon. Go get me some cereal.” Mark said, buttass naked, trying to find new clothes to wear. James was halfway out the door when he replied, 

“Got it! Making cereal!” He shut the door and hurried down the hallway.

Right when James got to the kitchen, he busied himself with searching the cabinets for cereal. It didn’t take him super long, but it was shoved behind some other boxes and bags in the pantry. Once he had found the cereal, he heard Mark running the sink in the bathroom- He had time. He opened the fridge and pulled out the milk jug, setting it on the counter next to the bowls of cereal, then filled the bowls. 

Right as James was putting the milk back in the fridge, Mark walked out of the bathroom.

“Leave the milk on the counter, please, I might get seconds.” He said, taking a seat at the counter. 

“Don’t you want the milk to be cold? It could warm up if you leave it out here.” James replied, frowning and pushing Mark his bowl of lucky charms. 

“Ahh, it’ll be fine James. I don’t mind warm milk either way.” Mark said, smiling and giving him a little wink.  
James nodded and pulled his lips into a thin line, his face reddening slightly. He circled around the island to sit next to Mark with his cereal. Mark pulled his phone from his pocket and opened Twitter. He leaned a little closer to James and held his phone up, opening the camera.

“C’mon Topiccy Wopiccy, smile for Twitter!” Mark said, taking the picture when James leaned in and pushed his glasses down his nose for a sassy effect. “Awwh, we’re so cute! The people are going to eat this up, James.” He said, nudging James in his side affectionately. James smiled and rolled his eyes, looking at Mark while he busied himself with his cereal. The way the sunlight reflected off his eyes made them look like glowing golden caramel, and he had to force his eyes away. What in the world was up with him lately?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, you amazing and wonderful human being!!! I appreciate you! Have a fantastic day ;O <3 <3 <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark didn't clean up his mess, so James has to. When he does, though, he discovers something peculiar...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again! Sorry I haven't updated in a while :( We've been showing our house a lot lately because we're going to move, which really means just a lot of driving everywhere because everything we could do is closed. There's 2 screaming toddlers in the back seat and my other 2 younger siblings won't stop yelling at each other, so my brain is fried haha. So i'm sorry if this chapter just seems like filler content, it'll be better next time <3

After James had finished his cereal, he got up and put his bowl in the sink, rinsing it off. He then walked back to where he ate with a damp paper towel and wiped down the counter. He looks at Mark and clears his throat. Mark looks up from his phone and James gestures with the milk jug towards the fridge. Mark glares at him and James smiles, setting the jug down in front of him.

“Just remember to put it in the fridge when you’re done,” He says, “And rinse your bowl off in the sink, please.” James says, walking out of the kitchen. At least, he’d hoped to be able to go, but Simba has something else in mind. He walks right in James’ path, almost causing the poor man to trip and fall on his face. Simba looks up and James once he has his full attention, and starts meowing loudly, padding over to his food and water bowls. 

James quickly catches on, and follows Simba to his bowls. They need to be filled.

“Hey, Mark?” James asks from across the kitchen, “Where is Simba’s food at?”

“Oh, it’s… actually it’s kind of hard to explain, I’ll just come get it for you.” Mark replied, getting up from his seat and going over to where James and Simba were. He opened a cabinet next to the bowls on the floor, then rummaged through the things in it and pulled out a bag of cat food. It looked very light, almost empty and easy to carry. James watched as Mark poured the last little bit of food into the bowl.

“Oof, damn. Looks like I need to go get some more cat food, huh. I’ll make a trip to the store tomorrow.” Mark commented, rolling up the now empty bag and stuffing it in a trash can nearby. A bit roughly as well, his face pouty because he was frustrated. 

James caught himself staring, but he couldn’t help it. He is too damn cute for his own good. Mark soon turned to face him, though, and James felt his stomach drop. 

“Uh, what’s with the looking-directly-at-me-and-smiling thing? You’ve got this dopey look on your face, dude, mind telling me what’s up?..” Mark said, visibly confused and even blushing a little bit. 

James hesitated, not sure what to say. He stood there, opening and closing his mouth for a bit, before answering.

“Well, uh just... You’ve got some gnarly bed-head, is all. Real silly, just like you.” James finished, grinning and trying to signal that he was joking about the last bit. 

Mark huffed, frowning and crossing his arms over his chest. “Humph! I know when I'm not appreciated, Topiccy. Guess I have to go brush my hair or whatever. Also, you get to pick up my mess.” He seemed satisfied with his response and left to go brush his hair, practicing his dramatic exiting skills.

James let himself exhale once he heard Mark shut the bathroom door. That was a close one… but why? Why was it a close one, what was so frightening about it? He mulled these thoughts over in his head but couldn’t really formulate an answer that seemed correct. He soon realized that he still had Mark’s mess to clean up, so he focussed himself on the real world, pushing those odd questions about himself to the back of his mind.

He walked up to the island and grabbed the box of cereal, going around the island to put it back in the cupboard where he got it. He grabbed Mark’s bowl off the counter and noticed Mark’s phone was still there. He went to grab it, when a notification rang off. The phone screen lit up with a message from Blair. He didn’t want to read the message, to conserve Mark’s privacy and all, but he got a glance at it and decided he’d finish reading it.

|Message from: Blair UwU <3 <3 <3|

|Hey if you need any help with uhh.. Your little situation, I'd be glad to. I know everyone else wo...|

The message was too long to finish reading there. James was interested, though. What kind of situation? What would Mark need help with anyway? He shook his head and figured reading the text was enough of a breach of privacy already. He left Mark's phone where it was and picked up the bowl again. He put it in the sink and rinsed it off, the text in the back of his mind although he had told himself it wasn’t his business.

Once James was done in the kitchen, he sat on the couch in the living room to wait for Mark. While he waited, he decided he’d go on Twitter to, perhaps, look at what Blair was doing… he circled back to Mark’s Twitter eventually, though, after finding nothing that could tell him what she meant. He saw some silly tweets he’d made, and replies to other tweets, including his own. But what made him smile was the most recent photo, the selfie of him and Mark at breakfast. It was titled “Brekkies with Bae UwU <3 <3 <3”. Apparently a good photo, because a thousand people had already liked the photo. 

James was distracted from his grinning and scrolling through the comments when Mark walked out into the living room. He looked clean-shaven, and his hair had been brushed and styled. He had clean clothes on, instead of the dirty sweatpants and old t-shirt he’d been wearing before. James really only realized he’d been staring, again, when Mark cleared his throat, looking at him incredulously. 

“My eyes are most definitely not down there, Topiccy. What’s going on with you lately, even?” Mark said, putting a hand on his hip. James felt his face go red and he hesitantly looked up at Mark.

“Uh, I-i’m not sure what you mean? I feel perfectly fine today. I probably should go.. Brush my hair and stuff, though..” James replied, smiling awkwardly and pushing himself off the couch to walk around Mark to the bathroom. Mark gave him a little sideways glare as he left that said “Yeah fuckin right you dingus”. James was determined to stay composed, but lost it as he entered the bathroom. He thought he might have an idea why he was acting like this.. But he didn’t want to admit it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You again!! As always, thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful timezone my friend!! <3 <3 <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything goes horribly wrong when Mark decides to try and help James get out of his funk. He didn't mean for things to go like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! I love you <3 <3 <3 Happy reading :)

Mark turned a little to watch James go into the bathroom. He felt bad for James, and wanted to do something to take his mind off of.. Whatever he’s got going on up in his headspace. Mark thought about it for a moment, before he decided they’d play Uno. He went to the coffee table in front of him and pulled open a bunch of drawers, looking for the box of cards.

Once Mark found the cards, a thought slipped into his mind. He could, maybe, cheat a bit to lighten the mood. Mark grinned to himself and slipped the cards into his palm. He flipped through the cards, finding 3 wild plus 4 cards and a reverse. That’d give himself a chance to beat James through the rounds. Then, just as quickly as he’d taken them out, he put the rest of the cards away, slipping the box onto the coffee table and taking a seat on the sofa in front of it.

When James left the bathroom, his hair brushed and his mind once again gathered, it was reasonable that he was a little confused when he saw a serious looking Mark sitting on the couch, staring directly at him. James looked at the coffee table and noticed a pack of Uno cards.    
  


“Uhh.. Mark? What is..” He gestured vaguely in Mark’s direction, “This? I’m just-”

“Well, my dear friend, you seem to have a lot on your mind right now, and you do only have a few days left here, so… I want to get your mind off of whatever’s bothering you,” Mark cut him off, “So, what do you say about playing Uno, eh?” Mark finished, beaming at James.

James considered it for a moment, then concluded that Mark was right; he could use a bit of a brain break. “Alright, let’s play Uno, Mark.” James said, sitting down at the couch across from him. Mark dealt their first hands, and the game was on. 

Mark, obviously, won the first few rounds. Though, he did let James win once or twice to keep his suspicion at bay. Eventually, the rounds got harder, and James got close to getting more wins than Mark wanted. So of course, he did the only logical thing in order to distract James. 

Mark grabbed James’ hand, right as he was about to put in his second to last card, and licked a long stripe up his palm. He grinned evilly at James as his expression flooded with disgust.

“Eww! Dude, Mark, what the actual Hell? Gonna give me Coronavirus or something…” James shouted, trailing off into a grumble as he walked to the kitchen to rinse the spit off his hand. Mark took this opportunity to shuffle through the deck of cards to find as many wild cards or draw 4s as he could before James came back. 

He shoved the cards in his pants pocket, as per usual, and acted like an innocent bystander as James came back to the coffee table, still quite angry.

“Well, grab your cards and let’s keep playing, Topiccy.” Mark said, a mischievous glint in his eye. James looked at Mark, then back to the table where his two cards were, thankfully lying face-down. He picked them up and the game continued.

After maybe 2 or 3 more rounds, James could tell something was off. Mark always seemed to be sticking his hands in his pockets or reaching under the table with his cards. James decided to test this theory. 

“Hey Mark, what’re you looking for in your pockets there? Need any help?” James asked innocently. 

“Ah, no, I'm fine dude really. Thanks for the offer, though,” Mark replied, “No, really i’m good. Can we keep playing?” He continued when James kept looking at him.

“Really? I could at least try to help. Here, let me..” James said, putting his cards down and attempting to reach over Mark and into his hoodie pocket. Mark blocked him, though.

“No, really, I don’t need help,” Mark said, his voice strained and his face flushing a bit. He finally got to relax when James leaned back into his own space. 

“Hm. Okay then, sorry about that. Let’s keep playing, eh?” James said. He knew full well Mark was cheating by now, but he would play along a bit until Mark slipped up. Mark agreed to keep playing, and so they did. It didn’t take Mark long to make his mistake. 

First, Mark put down a wild draw 4 card, and changed the color from green to yellow. James, in response, put down a yellow reverse, so he wouldn’t have to draw 4. With an incredibly straight face, Mark laid down another wild draw 4 card and called Uno. James thought that now would be a good time to call him out.

“So, uhh.. Mark?” He said calmly, though internally he was pissed off, “Is there something you want to tell me? Anything at all.” James said, trying to keep a pleasant smile as he drew 8 cards from the deck. Mark’s face heated up a bit and suddenly he was parched. 

“Y’know, I’m pretty thirsty, I think I'll go get a water,” Mark said, his hands shaking a little and his voice strained, “I’ll be right back!” He finished, speed walking into the kitchen to grab a cup for his drink. He filled the cup with water, then took a few timid sips from it. He was on edge. 

Just as poor Mark began to calm down, James snuck up right behind him, breathing down his neck.

“I know you’re cheating. Hand over the cards.” James said menacingly, grabbing Mark’s wrists so he couldn’t move. Mark gently set his cup down on the counter, and slowly raised his hands in surrender. 

“James.. I can explain. Just let me go, and I'll do whatever you want me to. Okay?” Mark reasoned, wriggling his arms against James’ surprisingly strong grip. James thought about it for a moment, then let go of Mark’s wrists, stepping back a bit. Mark slowly turned around, facing James. His face bore and expectant expression, waiting for Mark’s reasoning.

“So.. It all started when I was born...” Mark started, then sprinted off, leaving James confused in the dust for a moment. James frowned, then followed Mark, chasing him through the house. Mark looked behind himself after running into the living room and shrieked in terror when he saw James close behind. Mark impulsively opened the front door nearby, and slammed it in James’ face on his way out. 

James chased Mark around the front yard for a bit, almost catching him. He got distracted for a moment because he got his socks dirty and wet in some mud. Mark took this opportunity to push open the side gate and dash into his backyard, his chest heaving. He looked everywhere for a place to hide, genuinely afraid now, but he couldn’t find anything. His backyard was tiny, with nothing but a lawn chair and a tall oak tree. 

Just as Mark spotted the back door, James jogged into the back yard. He looked absolutely pissed off, his hair disheveled and face red with anger. This only made Mark have more urgency about opening the back door right-the-fuck-now. If he got inside before James did, he could lock all the doors so he couldn’t get in! Genius. Now, he just had to open the door.. And it didn’t budge.

“It’s locked from the inside, Mark. Give it up already, you cheated,” James said, tired of Mark’s bullshit, “Hand over the cards and i’ll let you go, nice and easy.” James held his hand out toward Mark, waiting for him to give up the cheated cards. Mark considered it for a moment, then tried to dash off, again. 

James was prepared for this, though. He tackled Mark, hooking an arm around his neck and shoving him down with his own weight. James grabbed both Mark’s wrists and pinned them in the dirt above his head, causing his sweatshirt to ride up his torso. He pushed Mark’s legs together with his thighs so that Mark could wriggle, but not escape. 

“Where are they, Mark? Tell me, or I'll have to look in  _ all  _ your pockets.” James said menacingly, inches from Mark’s face. Mark swallowed hard, and his face darkened.

“Pants pocket,” Mark said, trying not to look at James, “Right side.” He finished, looking off into the distance as James haphazardly stuck his hand into Mark’s pants pocket, fishing out 2 more wild cards and a draw 2 card. James sat up, letting go of Mark’s wrists, and slapped him with the cards.

“That’s why you don’t cheat at Uno. I’m going inside now, I'd advise you to do the same. Looks like it’s gonna rain.” James said, getting up off Mark and going around the house to the front door. Mark sat up slowly, rubbing his wrists a bit. He looked up at the cloudy grey sky with a solemn expression. He was screwed.

  
  
  


Once Mark got inside with James, there was a weird silence. James was still pretty mad, and Mark was followed by a cloud of guilt. There was a good amount of moping around on his part, until he had an idea. 

“Hey, James?” He started, looking at him with a hopeful expression. James set down his phone and looked at Mark.

“What now, Mark? Can it wait? I’m playing Minecraft.” James deadpanned, gesturing at his phone. 

“Well uh… I was thinking maybe we could chill out a bit? Watch some cartoons, maybe?...” Mark asked timidly, “I-I’ve got snacks, if you want..” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. James looked uninterested until Mark mentioned snacks.

“That depends.. What kind of snacks?” James asked, shutting his phone off. Mark’s face brightened at the question, walking past James and opening a cupboard above his head. 

“Well,  _ that  _ depends. What kind of snacks do you like?” Mark said, proudly displaying an impressive array of very unhealthy food. He could see the twinkle in James’ eyes behind the shades. Mark did always hear his grandmother telling his sisters that food is the way to a man’s heart; apparently she was right.

The boys had settled for Gravity Falls on Hulu, snacking on some chips and gummy worms as they watched. James was still trying his darndest to be angry with Mark, but it was slowly slipping away. He looked at Mark every so often, and kept having to remind himself not to stare. He forgot that eventually, though, watching Mark enjoy the show and munch on his gummy worms. James stopped paying attention to the show.

“Oh look at me! I’m James, and I like to stare at people with a goofy grin on my face, cuz i’m a weirdo! Oh, also! I have facial hair!” Mark mocked loudly, startling James out of his trance. James focused on Mark, and found that Mark had stuck a gummy worm on his upper lip, pouting so it stayed there, like a mustache. 

James was taken aback, and cracked a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like forever. 

“Ha! Look! I got you to smile, Topiccy! You can’t stay mad at me forever!” Mark shouted triumphantly, shoving his hands in the air. 

“Hey, i’m still mad at you. I haven’t even gotten payback for that little trick you pulled. What do you say we wrestle it out, like real men?” James suggested, giving Mark an incredulous look and flexing his bicep. 

“Hey, no way! You’re way stronger than I am, dude! You would destroy me. I am not doing that.” Mark said, adamant that he would be easily beaten. 

“Well, that’s the point, Mark. C’mere.” James said, taking off his shades, folding the arms to set them on the table. He scooted closer to Mark before he stuck out an arm to stop James. 

“I already said no! You’d kick my ass with ease,” Mark said, looking at James, “Also, damn.. I know you like, need to wear those and all but.. Your eyes are really pretty, Topiccy. I think I’m a simp for your eyes.” Mark said, giggling and obviously trying to derail the conversation. James flushed a bit, but stayed firm on his decision.

“I’m flattered but, again, that’s the whole point,” James scoffed, “So wrestle me and we’ll call it even. Eh?”

Mark shook his head and went back to watching Gravity Falls for a bit, still not wanting to wrestle. Eventually, though, James thought of something else he could do to make up for it.

“Tickle fight.” He said, smiling at Mark.

“Uhh.. Come again?” 

“Tickle fight, to the death. Easier and funnier than wrestling.” James concluded.

“James, no. I’ll think of something I can do to make up for it, but I don’t like being tickled. I’m gonna put the snacks aWA- ACK” Mark was about to stand up, but he was pulled back onto the couch. James was looming over him ominously. 

“James.. Don’t do it. Don’t you dare do it, James, you’ll regret tHIS-!” Mark said, his warnings turning into howling laughter as James tickled his sides. James laughed along with him, digging his fingers into Mark’s armpits and eliciting a breathless cackle from the poor man underneath him.

“Who knew you were so sensitive, you big baby,” James smiled, looking down at Mark, his eyes twinkling and brimming with tears from laughing so hard, “I’m barely touching you.” James said, his voice slipping into an endearing tone. He continued tickling, though, and the sound of Mark’s joyous chuckling was accompanied by rain tip-tapping on the roof.

James didn’t want this to end.

Thankfully, neither did Mark. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking around and reading! You're all very much appreciated <3 <3 <3   
> Have a wonderful timezone <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and James want to make a new video, but for the life of themselves cannot figure it out. This calls for help! And Mark knows just where to get it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey yall! Thank you for sticking with this story and being so patient with me ^^; I swear on my life, it is not my intention to leave this project behind. If I was taking a break from this, or cancelling it all together, I'd let you all know. Now, on to the story, and happy reading!

It was early in the afternoon, and the boys were just chilling, enjoying their day. Mark was sitting on the sofa, lazily petting Simba next to him and watching some Netflix show out of the corner of his eye. James was pacing about the house, finishing his coffee and checking his discord server. He would occasionally do a lunge, slow so as not to spill his coffee, so he could get his blood flowing more. James was startled out of his little routine in the middle of a lunge, spilling a little coffee down his front, by Mark piping up.

“Hey, James? Shouldn’t we like, Make a YouTube video while you’re here?” Mark asked, “It doesn’t have to be super complicated either, since you’re only here, what, 3 more days?” James frowned and tried to wipe the coffee stain out of his shirt with his hand. 

He groaned frustratedly, then replied, “First of all, yes Mark that’s a great idea. Second of all, I need to go wash my shirt now,” He said, helplessly pulling his shirt away from his chest where it was wet, “Thanks for that, by the way.” James grumbled, setting his coffee down in front of Mark.

“You’re welcome, Topiccy!” Mark retorted, giggling. James rolled his eyes and grinned. He lifted his shirt over his head and threw it over his shoulder. Before he left down the hall for the laundry room, though, he noticed Mark quickly look him up and down. Mark looked away when James saw him, though, and turned a little red as he focused back onto Simba. 

James thought it was a little.. Odd, but he just shrugged it off and went to put his shirt in the washer. 

  
  


Once James had put his shirt in the washer and gotten new clothes on, he walked over to Mark, who was now sitting at the counter, drinking some ice water and playing a game on his phone. 

“So, you got any ideas for what we should do for a video?” James asked. Mark looked up at James and turned his phone off. 

“I dunno. I was waiting for you so we could figure it out together..” Mark said, looking at the counter and drawing a circle there with his index finger. James took a seat next to him and clapped his hands to get Mark’s attention. 

“Ok, so what are some ideas you have? Let’s brainstorm.” 

Mark looked at James, then off somewhere behind him. 

“Hmm.. we could go out somewhere? Like the park maybe?” Mark tried, shrugging helplessly. James considered it for a moment, thinking about things they could do at the park. James sighed, resting his chin on his palm.

“Mark, we can’t go to the park,” James said, looking at his friend with a sad expression, “We have to be a good example. We can’t just go out and endanger our health to make a YouTube video.” He put his elbow on the counter and leaned his cheek against his fist.

“Oh, right.. So I guess we have to do something inside, right?” Mark replied with a thoughtful expression. James nodded in agreement, and they started giving each other ideas. Stick fight? Not captivating enough. Play video games together? Mark didn’t have an extra PC laying around.

Eventually, their brainstorming led to.. Nothing. Kaput, zilch, they could not think of a single thing. James, now across the kitchen from Mark, opened the fridge and looked in. 

“Hey, Mark? I think I’m gonna make some lunch dude, you can go think about it some more,” James said, closing the fridge and going to the pantry, “I need a break from thinking.” 

“Got it. I’m gonna go exist outside, come get me when lunch is ready.” Mark replied, getting up from his seat and pushing open the sliding door to the backyard. He walked over the pavement on the patio to get to the lonely red lawn chair in the grass. He picked up the chair and carried it into the shade of the oak tree.

Mark opened his phone up again and tried scrolling through his recommended on YouTube for ideas, but nothing caught his eye. He groaned and slouched back in his seat, tilting his face towards the canopy of the oak tree. He sat like that for maybe a whole 5 minutes, just thinking, before his phone pinged with a notification.

Mark sighed and sat back up, turning the screen of his phone to see what the notification was. It was a text from his friend, and he immediately perked up. He unlocked his phone and went to messages to read it.

**Steph!!:** Hey uh, I need to stop by sometime to get my airpods, I forgot em last time I came over. When can I swing by?

**Cliccy:** Ayy you can come by anytime! My friend is over right now though, so i’ll have to let him know.

**Steph!!:** Ok, sounds good fam!

Mark smiles to himself. Steph was a good friend, she was always there for him. They used to date, before Mark started to feel that he wasn’t doing the best he could in their relationship. They separated mutually, though, and they were still close. Then, as Mark was about to turn his phone off, an idea struck him. 

**Cliccy:** Squad fam, I have a question actually

**Steph!!:** Ask away, dude! I might have to answer a bit later tho, I need to go give the dog a bath lol

**Cliccy:** Ok, so.. I have my friend over, right? And he’s one of my YouTuber friends, and we wanted to make a video together while he’s over here. Thing is, we’ve thought about things we could do all day and nothing comes to mind. Have any ideas?

**Steph!!:** Ooh, that sounds fun! I’ll have to think about it. I’ll get back to you soon, Mark! Love you <3

**Cliccy:** Ur a life saver Steph, thank u :) Hehe love u too UwU <3

Mark grinned and stood up, turning his phone off and putting it in his pocket. He stretched a bit in the sun that was beginning to creep into the shade, and then headed for the back door. He pushed it open and stepped inside, only to get smacked in the face with the smell of heavenly, cheesy pasta.

“Dude! James, what the  _ hell _ are you cooking? Because it definitely does NOT smell like any food i’ve ever made,” Mark said, speed-walking over to James. He was silent for a moment, in admiration of the liquid gold James was stirring up, then continued, “Holy shit… James I-I’m not sure what to say..” 

“Here, do you wanna try some? I just finished it,” James said, opening a drawer next to him and pulling out a spoon when Mark nodded excitedly, “Careful, it’s a little bit hot.” James held out the mac ‘n cheese, and Mark didn’t hesitate to chomp that cheesy goodness. It was a little hot, like James had warned him, but Mark didn’t mind. He couldn’t help but moan, and his eyelids fluttered closed. 

“James.. Did-Did you put LSD in the fucking macaroni? Because I swear on my life, I have never put better mac ‘n cheese into my mouth, since.. Well, ever,” Mark said in a serious tone, looking James directly in the.. Eyes? Shades? “I can and will marry you, just for your food.” He threatened, poking James in the chest. Mark was interrupted when his phone pinged with another notification. 

Mark checked his phone and saw that it was a message from Steph. Wasn’t she supposed to be washing her dog? He unlocked his phone to read the rest of the messages. 

**Steph!!:** Ok so! I WAS bathing Cleo, but I got an idea so I dried my hands off real quick to tell you. You guys should do: Competitive yoga!! Sounds fun, right?

**Cliccy:** I- How would we even do that?? Competitive yoga??? I don’t just have yoga mats lying around!

**Steph!!:** Then go to the store and get some! Then I can swing by and grab my airpods. I’ll make up some rules and tell your friend there. Now I have to go! Cleo is going to jump out of the bath any moment now!

Mark sighed and set his phone down a little roughly on the counter, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What’s up?” Asked James.

“I asked her what we could do for a video and she said competitive yoga. I don’t even know where to start with this one,” Mark spoke under his breath, “I guess I need to go to the store for some stuff now, though.” He said, reaching into the cabinet above him for a bowl. He put some mac ‘n cheese in the bowl and grabbed the spoon James was holding. 

“I can stay here and pick up a bit, set up the cameras too if you want,” James offered, “Speaking of which, where are they?” He asked, wiping his hands off with the rag on his shoulder. 

“Oh, all of my recording equipment is in the closet down the hall where I make videos. I’ll show it to you in a minute. Then I have to go,” Mark answered, thoroughly enjoying his food, “And dude, I'm dead serious this is absolutely fantastic.” He took a sip of his water. James chuckled and helped himself to a bowl as well.

  
  
  


“...Okay, so this is the tripod, and this is the camera, right?” James asked, patting the respective pieces of equipment, “And this is the mic, the pop filter and the cable for it. So I just put all this together and you’ll help with the rest when you get back?” He looked at Mark expectantly. 

“Yeah, that’s about it. I’ll be gone maybe 45 minutes, give or take some minutes,” Mark answered, “Oh, and my friend needs to come over in a little bit, she’s getting her airpods. And ask her for help deciding the rules for this, since she didn’t tell me over text because she’s a jerk.” Mark said, grinning at James. 

“Ok, sounds good! I’ll go pick up my mess and vacuum a bit, then i’ll get on setting this up,” James said, grabbing Mark’s shoulder and looking him in the eye, “And be safe out there, man.” Mark’s eyes twinkled a bit and his cheeks were dusted with pink. He nodded and smiled at James.

“Promise. Anything you want while I’m out?”

“No, I’m alright, thank you. Just go get what we need.” 

“Ok James! I’ll be back in a bit.” Mark waved goodbye to James and walked down the hallway. He gently grasped his shoulder where James had held him. He almost let himself believe they could be happy together, then shook it off. Frowning, he grabbed his keys off the hook by the door and pushed it open. James was one of the straightest people he knew.. 

He would understand, he’d let Mark down gently, but the idea of being rejected by James terrified him anyways. It’d ruin what they had for sure. Mark unlocked the driver side door, opened it and got in. He started the engine, and pulled away from the house with a frown on his face and sadness in his heart.

  
  


Just as James had finished cleaning up his mac ‘n cheese mess, there was a knock at the door. It was entirely too early for Mark to be back already, so he figured it was Mark’s friend. 

“Coming! Just give me a sec, sorry,” He said, tripping over Simba, again, who looked up at him and meowed loudly, “I’ll do whatever it is you need, just a minute!” He whisper-shouted at the fluffy ginger cat. Simba ignored James and started cleaning himself. James rolled his eyes and smiled, finally making his way over to the door.

When he opened the door, there was a woman there, a little shorter than him. She had long, wavy brown hair and hazel eyes, and she was wearing a grey sweatshirt and dark wash jeans.. She didn’t stay for introductions, and instead walked right in with a smile, like she owned the place. James put down the hand that he had held out for a handshake and turned to face her. 

“Ok.. So, you’re Mark’s friend I assume?” James started, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

“Yes, that would be me. Stephanie is the name,” She answered, setting down her small backpack on the coffee table and opening her phone, “And you’re the big blue sunglasses guy he’s told me about, right?” She looked up at James for a moment, then back to her phone. James scoffed.

“Huh, yeah I guess that sounds like something he’d say. I’m James,” He grinned, “Mark also said that you needed to get something?” He held his hands behind his back. 

“Mhm, I do. I left my airpods here the last time I came over,” She nodded, “Oh, and I need some help looking for them, too. Mark gave me a location but.. It’s pretty vague, to say the least.” She said, holding her phone out to James. A message from Mark on the screen read ‘In the drawer on the left. You’ll find em’. 

“Guess we’ve got some looking to do, then.” James said, raising his eyebrows at the very incomplete instructions. 

“Yup, so we’d better start now. Time to look through every drawer in this damn house,” Stephanie said, frustration seeping into her voice, “But thank God I dated him, I know this house like the back of my hand now.” She said, tying her hair up unceremoniously. 

“Wait, you dated Mark?” James said, surprised that he hadn’t known this before.

“Yeah, we dated!” Stephanie said, turning around halfway to the kitchen, “Keep up, Moose!” She turned right back around and pulled open a drawer to search. 

“Wh- I! Moose?” James frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, walking to the kitchen where Stephanie was, “Just because i’m a buff Canadian does  _ not  _ mean that i’m a Moo-”

“Hush up and help me look, you big lug! We don’t have all day.” She laughed, going back to her work. James huffed, but went to a drawer next to her and started looking.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can say is... You are an awesome and exceptionally phenomenal human being :) <3 Have a good one yall !
> 
> (But also, I think i'm gonna like writing the next chapter, lol)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this.. thing. There might be more, hopefully, if I can find it in myself to push out more of this. (also if people actually like it lol)
> 
> <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3


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